Combined steering and handling system for tow boats and their vessels



T. R. TARN.

COMBINED STEERING AND HANDLING SYSTEM FOR TOW BOATS AND THEIR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1919.

Patented Jan. 13,1920;

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

T. R. TARN. COMBINED STEERING AND HANDLING SYSTEM FOR TOW BOATS AND THEIR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED'APR.15, 1919.-

1 ,327 ,643, Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNIT STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. TABN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COMBINED STEEBING AND HANDLING SYSTEM FOR TOW-BOATS AND THEIR VESSELS.

eavers;

Application fi1ed. April 15, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS E. TARN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Combined Steering and Handling Systems for Tow-Boats and Their Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined steering and handling systems for tow boats and other vessels.

The object of the invention is to provide a control system for tow and other boats which is simple in arrangement and effective in operation, and wherein the ability to handle the boat under the exigencies of navigation and use is largely increased.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a combined system of control of the nature referred to by which steering, flanking and twisting operations required to properly, efliciently and safely handle the boat, and its tow are accomplished in a very simple and effective manner. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined steering, flanking and twisting control system for tow boats and other vessels which includes the use of independently operated and controlled rudder devices.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a view in top plan showing diagrammatically the control system embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken diagrammatical view in elevation illustrating the tunnel type of screw propelled vessels.

Fig. 3 is a view in diagram illustrating the method of handling a fleet or tow by means of a tow boat equipped with a system embodying the principles of my invention.

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating in comparison the benefits and advantages of a control system embodying my invention, wherein the control of the rudders is independent (Fig. 5) as com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Serial No. 290,198.

pared with coincident and corresponding control of the rudders. (Fig. 4).

The problem of safe, efficient and economical navigation of inland Waterways, rivers and the like has heretofore received a great deal of attention, and study, although comparatively little advancement has been made in the methods and practices which have been obtained for many years. It has now been demonstrated that the greatest benefit and advantage and economy of freight transportation by water along the inland rivers is accomplished by means of tows arranged in fleets, consisting of several units assembled together in compact relation and propelled by means of a tow boat usually placed at the rear of the fleet to eX- ert a pushing action thereagainst. Where the condition of circuitous channels, shallow water and frequently rapid current are encountered as is the general rule in navigating inland waters, rivers, and the like, the difficulties of properly and safely handling a tow boat and its fleet or tow is vastly increased, and conditions develop and are rapidly encountered, requiring the attainment of the utmost degree of efliciency in properly handling the tow boat and its tow to avoid danger and even wreckage and loss. It hasbeen a common practice to employ stern wheel boats of familiar type as river tow boats, and while steering and flanking operations in handling stern wheel boats can be and are accomplished in the use of stern wheel boats, still the cost of operation of stern wheel boats as compared with the more modern screw propelled boats turns the scale of preference in favor of the latter. Moreover in the handling of a tow boat with its tow or fleet of tows when the tow boat is of the stern wheel type while steering and flanking operations may be accomplished, exigencies frequently arise where neither of these operations are sufficient to avert or to avoid danger and injury. In the case of the screw propelled tow boats, not only are steering and flanking operations obtainable in the handling of such a boat used as a tow boat in connection with a fleet of tows, but in addition twisting operations are also obtainable thereby greatly extending the ability to properly and safely handle the tow. However, as heretofore equipped, the screw propelled boats have been supplied with rudders arranged usually in sets, each set associated With a propelling screw, the

screw of each set ordinarily being disposed between the members of its associated set of rudders, the screw and rudders of one set being disposed on one side of the longitudinal aXis of the boat, while the other screw and. its associated set of rudders is disposed on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis of the boat. According to the practice as heretobefore carried out, the rudders of both sets have been coupled together for coincident operation. The result of such arrangement is loss in eiliciency in failing to attain to the-highest degree effective in the steering, flanking'and twisting operations in the handling of the tow and the propelling boat therewith.

It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide a control system for tow boats of the screw propeller type and other vessels, and especially for such boats when employed for towing purposes on inland waterways, rivers, etc., wherein the rudders are capable of inde: pendent control, thereby obtaining to a greater degree than has ever before been ob tained, the ability to properly and safely handle a tow boat and its tow quickly and efliciently under the stress of exigency requiring immediate action and response. a

In carrying out my invention, I prefer to employ a tow boat of the'tunnel screw type in order to secure economy of operation as compared with the ordinary stern wheel type of boat of the same towing capacity.

Referring to Fig. 1, 6 and 7 designate the propelling screws. Associated with the screw 6 of the rudder members 8 and 9, and likewise associated with the screw 7 are the rudder members 10 and 11. These several rudders may be of the usual structure and arrangement with respect to each other and with respect to their associated screws, and they-may be of the balanced type as in the case of rudders 8 and 10, or of the partly balanced type, as in the case of the rudders 9 and: 11,01 any desiredcombination olthese types of rudders may be employed.

In accordance with my invention the rudders 8 and 9 constitute one set, and the rudders l0 and 11 another set. The rudders of each set are connected together for coincident" and corresponding operation. This may be accomplished by providing each rudder with a control arm 12, the control arms ofeach set being connected together by connecting rod 13sothat when one rudder of a set is displaced or operated, the other rudder of the" same set is coincidentally and correspondingly operated. Each set of rudders, inaccordance with my invention, is power operated. Motors 14 being shown for operating. .e'a'ch'set through connecting rods15 connected to the arms 12 of rudders .8 and 10.

Eachm'otonla: is controlled by'a control rod.16', =17, each'rod independently"connected..

to an operating device 18, 19 in the pilot house, or at the steering point. The connection being eflected in any suitable or convenient way, as for example, through rods, or other connections 20, 21, and angle levers 22, 23. The control connections ,16, 17, efiect suitable control in the case of steam motors, for instance, through valve devices indicated at 24:, 25.

Through this arrangement of motor control it will be seen that the sets of rudders are independently operated through themdependently controlled motors. It will also be seen that the rudder control motors are wholly independent of the engine or engines indicated at 41, a2, which drive the propelling screws. However, if desired, the motor controlled devices 24, 25 may be coincidentally or simultaneously, instead of independently, operated, by suitably connecting the control devices 18, 19 to operate in unison. Such a connection is indicated in'dotted line at 26.

In'addition to power operation of the rudders, and the control therefor above described, I also, in accordance with my invens tion, provide anindependent operating control of the members of each set of rudders from-the hand operated wheels 27, 28, suitably dis-posed in the pilot house or other convenient point, and each arranged to operatea drum 29, 30, upon whlch are wound cables suitably connected to the respective setsof rudders. For instance, the cable which operates around drum 29 is connected or anchored as at 31 to the operating arm 12 at rudder 29, thence said cable passes around guide pulleys 32, 33, around the drum 29 and guide pulley 3a, and its opposite'end anchored at 35 to the arm 12 or rudder 8. Likewise one end of the cable which operates around drum 30 is anchored as at 36 to the arm 12 of rudder 11, and thence passes around pulleys 37 and 38, around drum 30 and pulley 39, and its'opposite end anchored cally illustrated a boat of this type whereinthe screw propeller 43 operates within a recess or chamber n formed in the bottomrof the boat a5, but which iswater-sealed-bythe level of the water, the propeller being, when in a state of rest, only partially submerged in the water. In the foregoing'de scription I have referred to" steering, flanking and twisting operations asfactorsconcerned in the ability of a tow boatrtohandlea a tow.

Byisteering operational am reiierring.

to the action and reaction secured through the manipulation of the rudders. By flanking operations I am referring to the action and reaction produced by increasing to its maximum the power employed to operate the propeller whether of the screw type or of the stern wheel type, thereby obtaining a higher stream velocity, and consequently a greater rudder pressure. In conjunction with increasing the speed and power of the propeller, the rudders are placed in hard down position, contrary to the direction the boat is required to turn. The increased velocity of the propeller stream counteracts the velocity of the river stream due to the speed of advance by setting up a counter current, thereby securing a greater decrease of turning radius of the tow, and its towing boat in the direction in which it is desired to turn. This is a system of control in handling tows which is frequently rendered necessary where comparatively short turns are required in changing the direction of the tow, for example, at sharp bends in a river. By twisting operations, I refer to the turning action produced by the action of the propellers. By driving the propeller on one side in one direction, and the propeller on the other side in the opposite direction, a twisting action is created tending to turn the tow boat and its tow. It frequently happens that the handling of the boat and tow due to the twisting action of screws, becomes an important factor in meeting the exigencies of river navigation. A system which attains to the highest degree, not only steering, but flanking and twisting actions is the ideal system and offers the greatest measure of safe control and navigation. In the case of the stern wheel propelled boat, no twisting operation is possible. I will now demonstrate the inefliciency and loss of maneuvering effort in the case of the screw propelled boat employing the rudder control arrangement at present in use, particular reference being had to the diagram Fig. 4, particularly during the operation of turning, due not only to the steering action of the rudders operating coincidentally, and in corresponding directions, and also to the twisting action, and also due to the actions during flanking effort. In the diagram Fig. 4, the arrow illustrates the extent and the direction of application of the twisting action of propeller 7 while being driven forward by engine 42, while the arrow 51 illustrates the extent and direction of action due to the twisting effort exerted by propeller 6, driven in reverse from engine 4C1. In other words the arrows 50 and 51 represent respectively the direction and extent of the thrust of the propellers when driven in the directions stated. All the rudders, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are shown set in a direction to secure steering action, the set thereof being accomplished according to the steering control system heretofore employed by simultaneous and coincident operation thereof into corresponding positions. The arrows 52 and 53 illustrate in direction and extent the reactions due to the steering effort. The arrows 54 and 55 illustrate in direction and extent the reactions due to the flanking effort of propeller 6 operating in reverse. It will be observed that the reactions indicated by arrows 52 and 53 are applied in a direc tion opposite to that of application in the efforts indicated by arrows 54: and 55. Since, therefore, the reactions 5 k and 55 oppose the reactions 52 and 53, the turning effort which is the object sought is merely the result of these opposing actions, and hence is greatly reduced because of the opposition of the forces and reactions referred to. If, however, in accordance with the particulars of my invention the rudders are capable of independent control so that the rudders 8 and 9 may be set in one direction and the rudders 10 and 11 set in the opposite direction as indicated in the diagram, Fig. 5', then we find the reactions 50 and 51 due to the twistin r efl'ort of screws 7 6 the same as before. W3 also find the reactions 52 and 53 due to the steering eflort of rudders 10 and 11, the same as before. The flanking action, however, indicated by arrows 54. and 55, instead of being exerted in a direction opposing that of the application of reactions 52 and 53 are applied in a direction corresponding with that of the application of said reactions 52 and 53 as clearly indicated, and consequently instead of the turning effort exerted on the tow being diminished to the difference between the reactions as indicated in diagram 4:, the turning effort of the tow is augmented by the combined reactions as indicated in Fig. 5, all acting in the same direction. This is a most important feature, benefit and advantage of my invention, and this feature marks the practical benefit and advance attained in the application of my invention to the efficient and safe handling and ability to handle tows by tow boats.

In Fig. 3, I have indicated at 56 a river or waterway, and a bend therein, and at 57 a tow boat employing my invention, and at 58 a nest or fleet of tows which the tow boat is propelling in the direction indicated by the arrow, and the dotted line 59 indicates roughly the course, while the points 60 and 61 indicate approximately points in the bends of the river where change in direction is required.

Frequently conditions are encountered which require change in courses to be effected quickly to negotiate sharp bends, to avoid collision, and other exigencies which constantly arise in river navigation. A control system such as hereinabove described, which afiords means for utilizing all of the available reactions in effecting quick maneuver- Ling-therefore becomes a most important and valuable practical system for developing ability to handle tows, and to maneuver the same without danger and any avoidance of danger.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of my invention and a construction em bodying the principles thereof, what I claim. as new and useful and of my own invention, and what I desire to secure as Letters Patent is,

1. In a control system for tow boats, the combination with a tow boat, and a plurality of propelling screws therefor, of a plurality of pairs of rudders, one member of each pair of rudders located aft of one of the propellers, and means for independently operat ingeach pair of rudders.

2. In a system for controlling tow boats, a screw propelled boat, a pair of rudders associated with each propeller, said propellers being disposed between the members of their associated pair of rudders, and means for independently operating said pairs of rudders.

3. In a control system for boats, the combination with a boat and a plurality of propellers therefor, of a plurality of rudders associated with each propeller, one rudder located forward and another aft of its associated propeller, and independent power de vices for operating each set of rudders.

4C. In a control system for tow boats, the combination with a boat and a plurality of screw propellers therefor, of a pair of rudders associated with each screw propeller, the rudders of each pair being located respectively forward and aft of its associated propeller and connected together for coincident operation, and means for independently operating said pairs of rudders.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 12th day of April, A. D.

THOMAS R. TARN. 

